Because of the very nature of industrial jobs, when an accident occurs at such a location, the end result is often quite disastrous. This is illustrated by an industrial accident that occurred in Western Pennsylvania earlier this month. A tank containing 10,000 gallons of fuel oil exploded at Brownies Oil Co. located outside of Pittsburgh.

The explosion caused a fuel spill and inflicted serious injuries upon a worker who was welding something at a location not far from the tank. Due to the blunt-force trauma he experienced to his head, he sadly died. It does not appear that anyone else was hurt in the industrial accident.

It is currently unclear what caused the oil tank to explode. It is likely however that investigations into the matter will make the reason clear. As is common after a fatal workplace accident, it is likely that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will commence one of those investigations soon.

Individuals throughout the state of Pennsylvania must work to make ends meet. Regardless of the field in which they are employed, all deserve to do their job at a safe workplace. When workers suffer on-the-job injuries that are not fatal, it is not uncommon for a workers’ compensation claim to be filed. When approved, these claims provide compensation to the injured worker while he or she recovers from the injury suffered in the course of his or her employment. Because recovering from a serious injury can be painful, removing the stress of trying to figure out how mounting bills will be covered is usually very helpful.

Source: Associated Press, “10,000-gallon fuel oil tank explodes at Pa. industrial park, flies across road; 1 worker dies,” Aug. 19, 2013